Nick Powell, arriving in Hong Kong with his soon-to-be-ex-wife Lennox, finds himself drawn into the political machinations affecting the city as the Occupy movement takes root. A fatal accident exposes the factions vying for control of the SAR and gives Nick the second chance desired by many Hong Kong expats, but will he make the most of the opportunity, or find himself on the wrong side of history? Shifting between a variety of unique voices, HONG KONG ROCKS (a Proverse Prize 2018 finalist) is part thriller, part meditation on the challenges facing a special autonomous region punching above its weight.
"'Hong Kong Rocks' is a story set in an alternative present; it is in part a whodunit, with the who and the it constantly in doubt. At the centre is a group of dissolute, middle-aged, expatriates, who are held more or less upright, or let fall by surer, stronger women. Dissolution, however, has its consequences, in conflict with either the newly introduced Deportation Act, or two cross-border goons, or both. And, as the tale reaches its finale, we cannot but agree with the narrator that Hong Kong is 'hotting up'."—Philip Chatting, author of "The Snow Bridge and Other Stories", Winner of the Proverse Prize 2014.
"Funny and twisted, in Humphreys’ spirited novel Nick and a garrulous band of expats are caught in the shifting societal landscape of Hong Kong. Nights drinking at the Brolly, missing friends, the Occupy movement, fear of deportation and the threat of discovery by Chinese agents, all loom large. As his freedom hangs on the edge of a precipice, Nick seizes on the absurdities, secrets and joys of a life lived with regret."—Maria Roberts, author of "Single Mother on the Verge", Penguin.